Kante close to new £75m Chelsea deal; striker bats off January exit talk

Chelsea are growing increasingly confident that N’Golo Kante will commit to a new contract at Stamford Bridge that will make the midfielder one of the Premier League’s highest earners.

The Blues are determined to reward their pocket dynamo with a long-term contract and elevate his pay to among his best-pair peers in the English game, with talks first starting with Kante and his agent back in the summer.

However, Chelsea were unable to pin Kante down, and while he has shown no indication he wants to leave Stamford Bridge, the Blues will be wary of persistent reports linking him with £80million moves to the likes of Barcelona and PSG.

But with the player’s contract due to expire in 2021, the London Evening Standard reports the Blues have been given a strong indication that Kante is finally ready to commit to a new five-year deal worth £290,000 a week – earning the player an eye-watering £15.08million a year or £75.4million if he stays at the Bridge until its conclusion in 2024.

But having underlined his importance to new manager Maurizio Sarri, the club feel Kante is well worth the investment and believe the new contract will finally put to bed talk that the midfielder could be tempted away.

Discussing PSG’s reported interest in him earlier this year, Kante said: “I am not concerned with all that.

“Today, I am at Chelsea, and… that is what comes first.

“I am not paying attention to what is being said on the club side of things at the moment.”

Giroud makes big decision on Chelsea future

Meanwhile, Kante’s France and Chelsea teammate Olivier Giroud says he has no intention of leaving the club in January.

The striker has largely had to play second fiddle to Alvaro Morata since arriving at Stamford Bridge and has been linked with moves to Marseille and West Ham when the winter window opens.

However, opening up on his future, Giroud said: “Would I have to consider a departure to keep my place in the national team? Today I am calm, happy with this World Cup title.

“I don’t need to put myself under more pressure than that. Of course, I am a competitor and I would like more playing time. But I am in a very big club, with very big players.

“I am going to fight and for the moment, it is not a question about seeking a departure. I am going to stick in there and do not expect me to give up.”